Waiting, waiting, waiting

Here it comes….

Gone in a Flash

I had this weird sensation upon arriving back in St. Louis of how….flat everything here looked. Where were the sidewalks filled with people? Why were the buildings so low to the ground? Only TWO floors in my apartment building? Where were the hot dog carts on every corner, the same version of an over-priced deli on every opposite corner, the glowing green lanterns indicating a stairway to the subway, and the noise noise noise?

I had a pretty fantastic time, at least while I was in the theatre, museums, or spending money in one way or another (food, classes, various new stuff). I also enjoy walking everywhere, except when it rains which it did often and I stupidly didn’t bring an umbrella. Did I mention that I showed up to my most-anticipated interview dripping and cold? Beyond my own poor planning, I found myself thinking, ‘I could really be happy if I moved here again’.

And then I came home… I came home to my apartment which I do NOT have to share, has more than one room, and is not over $3000 a month. I came home to several jobs that I am passionate about, jobs which pay my rent, and even leave me with time for hobbies like playing the piano (which I would not have in NY- the time nor the piano). There are a lot more reasons why I am happy to be back in St. Louis but I won’t bore you with those details. I will say it’s been a full twenty-four hours without anyone shouting at me, but I digress.

I will instead, share with you just one brief story that I call:

Diva-rous liaisons

I arrived in New York on Thursday evening so what could a dancer fresh in the city do but head to Steps on Broadway first thing the next morning? I have no pictures to share of anything past the famed stairway as photos inside are against the law. As it turns out, photo documentation isn’t the only kind that gets everyone’s dance belt in a knot.

After paying my dues for my chosen class, I had a half hour to kill before the first plie. I sat in the lobby, near the open doorways to the studios on the 3rd floor. There were two ballet classes going on and I let my attention drift between the two; One class was the advanced professional level class taught by Wilhelm Burrmann- a tall, barrel chested, balding man in dance pants and t-shirt, as pale and grumpy looking as I am.

Burmann’s class was filled with a lot of very talented dancers and it was the kind of class that would really help someone already in possession of great turn-out get on their leg. I didn’t see a lot of port de bras; it looked more of the ’legs ad core’ variety of class than a whole body (and soul) kind of experience. There was a young-looking tall  dancer with lovely extension and zero core strength right in my line of sight. I was watching her as she attempted a circular port de bras stretch and I watched her entire weight visibly shift to her back leg and the heels and her hips twisted right towards the barre. I know that I am sometimes guilty of this same blunder so I pulled a little notebook out of my bag and wrote myself a note that read something like:

“Keep the hips square in circle PDB- weight fwd”

Two seconds later Mr B (no, not that one- though he probably fancies himself just as fancy) was motioning to a girl from the desk to come inside. I thought nothing of it and continued to watch and attempt to learn something. Then the girl came out, knelt down by me and asked, ‘are you taking notes?‘

I was a little stunned, so I just said, ‘yes’.

And then she apologetically said, “You might want to move away from the door. You have to ask permission to take notes and he’s a little upset.”

Embarrassed and a little shocked, I got up from sitting OUTSIDE the room and moved over towards the desk to try to explain, ‘I was just writing myself a correction, not one of his combinations’.I was trying to be understanding, you know, ‘intellectual property’ and all that but in all honesty, this was not choreography. There was nothing to steal. The combination was something like ‘frappe with a pique on croix’. Thanks, but I’ve seen that before and it’s not exactly reinventing the wheel of ballet mastery.

So I was all prepared to tuck-tail and chasse out of the line of fire when Mr Burmann then came to the door and motioned me near. I thought he might offer some kind of explanation, I don’t know-

‘I’m protective of my lesson plan, it was passed on to me from the Gods’, or maybe some rule that I just wasn’t aware of-  ’you must pay me in sour lemons to watch my class’..

.nope. As all of his now-waiting class looked on,he just wanted to drive the point home by shaking his finger in my face and yelling,

‘You Must Ask! You MUST NOT do this!’

Do what, exactly? Try to better myself by taking dance and the study of dance and the teaching of dance seriously? Try to observe and write a reminder to myself of how to improve? I only wish that I had been writing a grocery list, filling out a mad-libs, or completing an order form for a bulk-buy of tampons or cat food or something.

I have never before in my life encountered a dance teacher that was not excited to share their knowledge with someone else that actually cares about the weight placement of a stinkin’ port de bras. I have never before been chastised for trying to learn. My apologies if I offend, but is this really something to get all bent out of shape over?

It would be nice if people would take a second to find out what is really going on before having a little girl temper-tantrum. Although, this is advice coming from someone who immediately sent angry text messages out to voice my injustice, and maybe there was more to that frappe than met the eye. My guess is that some people are just quicker to be elitist, judgemental, suspicious, and temperamental. And for once, I’m not talking about myself.

I didn’t take any classes (obviously) with Mr. Burmann so I can’t say to avoid him like the plague- all I can say is that when in his presence, don’t dare write anything down except a last will- you’ll want to send all of your cool stuff to me after you’ve died of embarrassment.

Oh the shame! Beautiful photo from Nancy Ellison’s ,’In classic Style’ with ABT

Interestingly, he outlined his teaching philosophy for Dance Magazine in 1994 and said this:

The cost in the classroom for a dancer to become a professional is to become totally involved in all parts of the class from beginning to end, executing all the combinations rhythmically and with correct technique, avoiding difficulties, facing the possibility of failure, of looking awkward, learning to trust, to believe and to let go. When one is committed to this, one can do what one wants artistically. But without the illusion of beauty in all this, the work would be uninteresting. The idea is not to be beautiful but to give the illusion of beauty. This is the application of the principle of dance lifted to the ultimate.

‘Scuse me, but emphasizing the ‘fake it ’til you…keep on faking it’ and dancing will never be anything but a merely decorative art form, teachers nothing more than drill sergeants for the elite body that can perform the task. This, Mr. B minus, is MY  philosophy for ballet, for teaching, for life:

“Nothing great has been and nothing great can be accomplished without passion”- GWF Hegel

A REAL teacher will guide you through technique, artistry, life, and hairdo’s

Sometimes a girl has to write down a few notes on those passions (see this whole stupid blog). Sue me.

 I am in New York (along with the rest of the world’s population, it seems).  I have already, in less than a week, been shoved, sneered at, stomped on, punched in the throat by a drunk girl at a gay bar, screamed at by a rather-queenish teacher at STEPS, abandoned by the G train in Brooklyn, and completely embraced by this wild and wonderful place.

I will say that in the few moments of (sheer horror) having to pull out a map and scan it like some kind of tourist- how embarrassing!- I have been asked if I needed help by both men and women, young and old, but mostly from people who seem…. less-than-rich. I guess that having money means that you can buy your way out of general politeness and compassion here.

I have incredible stories and pictures to share with you when this trip has concluded; stories of unbelievably bad art shows and gorgeous exhibits, the studios I have visited, the art that I’ve been able to take part in, the interviews, the meetings,the museums, the parties, the gatherings with dear old friends and the weird people I’ve met, the expensive clothes that I’ve tried on ‘just for fun’ (I could move here for the shopping alone) ,and how the store clerks saw right through my terrible excuse for toting them off to the dressing room, the embarrassing place that I pick up a daily coffee, and the shows. Just this little bit of time has given me so much to think about for my future- if I could be more successful here, if I would drown in the sea of better qualified and chic-er people, if I already have all that I want in St. Louis. Questions to ponder, but not for now…

Still left on this trip: I’m seeing Romeo and Juliet with Marcelo Gomez, the dress rehearsal for Romeo and Juliet, and Le Corsaire from ABT, Kinky Boots the musical! MOMA, the Pier, a dance-discussion at the Flea, and a visit with Katie to the Doughnut Plant. I will share all of this when I get back (and can download the pictures from my camera) and you can enjoy vicariously through my articulate word-choice. But the doughnuts, well, you have to be here to truly experience it.

New York craziness in the past: Anti-Contact the Musical!   Clothes make the man, fat suits make the ballerina

More Marcelo Gomez: When I Have Fears, David Hallberg Serial Killer

My Version- New York

What happens to a dream deferred?

 

Does it drain a little bit more each day

like a bad job?

Does it gather like a ballerina’s blister

and then pop?

Does it stink like Chinatown?

Or do you wait forever and then it decides to stop running

like trains heading downtown?

Maybe it gives you a dizzying list

of things to see, accomplish, and do

 

or does it come true?

 

See you soon- xo- Jess

There is something comforting about the familiar, something that makes art strike a chord when there is a mental, physical, or emotional connection to any given presentation. The Festival this year seemed to feature pieces that attempted to form this bond from various angles, some to more or less success.

Kicking off the entire Festival on Thursday in the Lee Theatre was Dance Theatre of Tennessee in ‘Points of Interest’. The piece, with a male solo, then female, then duet, then two group sections, was far too long and disjointed. They should have done away with the entire first group section which was only awkward running in point shoes for the ladies and heavy stag leaps for the men. The choreography improved with the faster group section and displayed the nice extension of the females but overall ‘Points of Interest’ seemed to have too many gimmicks- a spotlight here, a ‘contemporary’ hairstyle matched with Grecian dresses there- and not enough clarity in either message or technique. The show didn’t improve much with Joselyn Renae Simms piece, ‘Standards’ which was supposed to tune into the choreographic elements of Pina Bausch while making a statement on gender roles, and expectations of elders, and every other pretentious thing that can be conceived. What it instead looked like was a barely-danced fight on top of a rickety stool between parent and child. The on-again off-again of a dress for the female was reminiscent of a toddler that doesn’t want to get dressed to the frustrated parent’s aggravation. The two looked in sparing moments like talented dancers; if only they had used those talents, perhaps more than frustration would have been communicated. Changing the pace was Kameron N. Saunders’, ‘Treading Thin’. This piece requires no gimmicks; with a simple, explorative concept of Hypnagogia, intricate dynamic choreography and flawless dancing from the five performers.It looked less like drifting to and from sleep and more like the mental and physical sensation of being ‘spread too thin’ but that may be a hang-up from the title and because of the repetitive clasping at the body, which looked thematic. The connection was more towards the physical than the mental in that the capabilities of these dancers in aggressive yet hypnotic choreography was the most engaging factor, and perhaps that is exactly what the piece set out to do.  Offering a different kind of connection was Leverage Dance Theater in Kim Epifano’s, ‘Were They Allies?’ The four dancers simultaneously conveyed reliance and relationships in a piece that was humorous, full of imagery, and well-danced. Last in the Lee was Damagedance in Jessica Taylor’s ‘Finding Flight’. The idea wasn’t too much of a stretch but it offered a cheerful, cute closer, well-danced in choreography that was imaginative and probably a lot harder (especially with all of the falls) than these dancers made it appear.

Thursday continued in the Anheuser-Busch Performance Hall with The Big Muddy Dance Company in ‘Three for Four’, another piece from Saunders. While mimicking the dynamics of classical music, the dancers looked like manic, brilliant composers. This piece perfectly matched concept with choreography, blended the familiar music with fresh movement and was danced superbly.As poet W. H. Auden wrote, ‘ The ear tends to be lazy, craves the familiar and is shocked by the unexpected; the eye on the other hand, tends to be impatient craves the novel and is bored by repetition’. This piece satisfies both the need for the familiar and the new. It was playful and technical with many impressive moments of partnering. The only improvement would be if the one male wearing the red jacket in the opening would lose the coat and just have the white sleeved shirt like the other three.

Next came the highly-anticipated rendition of David Parsons, ‘The Envelope’ danced by Grand Rapids Ballet. This was a dance that made fun of itself, of dance and work and egos all at once in the most athletic, creative, and quirky way. Both maverick and genius at once, the piece employed dance movement such as challenging jumps mixed in with quirkier movement to merely create  narrative and characters perfectly brought to life by these talented dancers. Equally, but differently successful was ‘Tales from the Book of Longing’ from Stuart Pimsler Dance Theater. With the addition of scenic elements that looked like large-scale opened books, rich a capella vocals from one dancer, and sinewy dancing the piece was pleasing for both the eye and ear. While noticeable feats occurred within the stunning choreography and strong, sensual dancing (for instance, a triple attitude turn finished with delicate suspension from the female dancer with the short brown hair) the piece was communicative on a more soulful level than feats of technique. Closing the first half was an equally resonant piece, ‘Push Past Break’, from Chicago Human Rhythm Project. Each of the five tappers brought a unique personality to their performance, synced perfectly in group work and dazzling in moments of solo. Dancer Starinah Dixon was particularly memorable- tough, sexy, powerful, and fun- and completely lived up to her name. In choreography from Michelle Dorrance, these artists called forth a spirit of both resiliency and joy that one can only hope is familiar to us all.

Dancer Kristen Banocy

Travelling all the way from San Francisco was ODC/Dance in KT Nelson’s ‘Cut-Out Guy’. The piece was obviously intended to be a little uncomfortable, confrontational and succeeded greatly in that pursuit. It was undoubtedly the most challenging piece for the audience on the evening’s program without any of the familiar comforts most people have with dance- pretty girls, pretty costumes, pretty music. Nothing about this piece was pretty, it was raw and courageous (the jump from one dancer over two fellow dancers) and beautiful even if the music was jarring and sounded more like static fuzz. It is human nature to feel uncomfortable in the face of the unknown, hence the propensity to distrust, misunderstand, or dislike the innovators.

An easier piece on the ears was Jennifer Muller’s, ‘Hymn for Her’ danced exquisitely by Rosie Lani Fieldman and Duane Gosa. The opening image, with the man held aloft on a trapeze over the solo female, was quite stunning and it was an easy piece to appreciate and connect with. I admire a high leg, a dramatic head toss, and an emotional reach just as much as the next person but it became a little repetitive.The Big Muddy Dance Company closed the show with ‘The 40′s’ which was stylish, cool, and cleanly danced. The energy level was a bit uneven from the dancers, some seeming to genuinely enjoy themselves more than others. Overall, it was a charming high-note to end the evening.

Friday had a mix of high and low notes in the Anheuser-Busch Performance Hall. The Joffrey Ballet in ‘Bells’ was one such high. With music by Rachmaninov and beautiful partnering that displayed the unmatched beauty of dancers Victoria Jaiani (interview by Jess Ruhlin with Victoria) and Temur Suluashvili the piece offered an emotional connection relatable to all through elevated and elegant physicality. Local group MADCO in Lindsay Hawkins’, ‘Conversations and Fits’ brought a reverse effect, having fun with themselves, each other, and the audience. Choreography that is both funny and smart is a tricky blend to achieve as is a mix of technique and being silly and MADCO did not disappoint. Camille A. Brown in ‘The Real Cool’ fell somewhere between the two, with a unique movement vocabulary, facial expressions, and movement that looked almost mime-like yet retained the elegance and beauty like that of the Joffrey dancers. Closing the show, Thodos Dance Chicago provided both challenge and wonder in director Melissa Thodos’, ‘Subtle Passages’. It is rare for a non-cheerful piece to close a show but the piece brought so much drama and power that it didn’t to be ‘happy’ to make the audience feel just that for seeing it. Every element was well thought-out; from the costumes to the surprising use of lighting. Watching the tireless athleticism of these dancers, especially during the moment when the men lifted the women horizontally, spinning them like helicopter blades, feels something like what I’d imagine sky-diving to be; exhilarating, a little dangerous, a free-fall from angelic elevation into an earth-bound plunge.

I can comfortably say..that the Festival provided a good array of the familiar and the new to challenge, delight, and speak to everyone in some way. One can only wonder and look forward to the new faces, concepts, and creations will join the tradition next year.

‘Familiar acts are made beautiful with love” – Percy Bisshe Shelley

Everyone has those days where it is just hard to get going, where you feel sick or extra tired. Over the weekend, I was ‘glutened’ (meaning I accidentally consumed hidden gluten) and oh dear, did I feel like the walking dead.

How I am like the ‘walkers’ most of the time anyways:

Surly, Pale, Hungry, Poor Vision, Not-so-good with things like door handles or forming an orderly queue, Generally uncoordinated.

Just imagine what would happen if the zombie apocalypse struck Nederlands Danse Theatre or Alonzo King Line Ballet. I would not want to face an angry violent super-being version of those dancers. Can we all please picture the terror of Paloma Hererra as a grand saute chat-ing dead for a second! It’s worse than the real thing!

I just couldn’t resist….Walking Dead yourself

Zombie Aurora

Zombie Giselle- photos from ABT’s ‘In Classic Style’

(More Paloma when Borat goes to the Ballet- BNL back in 2010)

Come to think of it, I spend the majority of my mornings- prior to coffee, to a quick shower, to stretching out my crescent moon of a lumbar spine- like these dead-heads. Unlike the show, and I think most dancers would agree, my change (from dead to dancer) is…well, this anonymous quote says it better: As a walker, I can really only grunt and moan anyways.

Ballet is full of mysteries. Take the question of the dancers’ health. Before company class starts everyday at ten o’clock they straggle in, drawn and ashen-faced. How it alarms me. I put it down to their diet of black coffee, chocolate bars, and cigarettes. Poor girls, how could they even manage the stairs let alone survive an hour or two of class. They line the studio with bags and bundles that disgorge a cargo of bandages and woollies, plasters and cotton wool. It is less a dance studio and more a casualty ward as they pad and plaster bruised feet, tie scarves like tourniquets around their heads and waistes, heave themselves into plastic trousers- gingerly lest they awaken past injuries. As they hobble about I wonder how these invalids will ever bear the rigours of the barre. Then, against all reason, a daily miracle takes place. As the first notes of the piano are struck, far from wilting they begin to shimmer with well-being. Their eyes open wider, their hair starts to shine, their skin glows and, as the time for center work arrives the general radiance is dazzling. The miracle is that they are drawing strength from the very act of dancing itself, living off it, and nourished by it. As a long day of rehearsal passes the energy drawn from he dance seems to grow until the accumulated vitality is offered to their evening audience as an incomparable gift.”

The Sun King, Le Roi Soleil

Do you know how he came about this famous epitaph? I’ll tell you!

The title comes from the Ballet de la Nuit in which he danced the role of the sun. The year was 1653, and a fifteen year old Louie appeared with the symbol of the sun on his chest and rays on his head, neck, shoulders, wrists, knees, and shoes. In the ballet, the sun conquers night. Funny how ol’ king cole Louis identified so much with his dancing self that it became the symbol of his empire.

The Sun Dude

The only logical conclusion is that dancing is the light, defeating all darkness.

Bodies Never Lie- one year ago, hiding in an invisibility tutu

Enjoy the start of the weekend my dear fellow sunny people! xo-jess

Design by Daniel Rabel for ‘Danceurs de Sarabande’

This is usually the attitude that I have towards recent productions from Saint Louis Ballet. I know that I will see very talented artists with beautiful bodies and high extension. I know that when I go to see them in one of their full-length classical productions such as Swan Lake that it will be presented with all of the bells and whistles while still keeping the time-honored traditions and historical significance of ballet afloat. It’s more the idea of ‘contemporary’ that felt like stepping into the unknown. The past weekends ‘Contemporary Series’ at the Touhill proved that it was only my idea of them that needed the update.

The show opened with a world premier choreographed by Artistic director Gen Horiuchi. ‘More Morra’ featured a large ensemble cast of the professional company as well as a few students of the school, bold lighting by Don Guy, and of course, music from Joe Morra over three movements. This piece seemed uneven; the music had quite an exotic flair but the costumes- particularly the women in black leotard and tights- were akin to classroom attire. The choreography had some interesting use of partnering, and even gymnastics but the third section didn’t quite live up to the frantic drama of the music. I was impressed with the extension across the board but noticed a few dancers that seemed to lose the connection to their core strength as stamina faded. The men looked pretty strong but the women lacked clarity in the group work. Art can serve as transportation or escape but with the mixed messages from simple costume, high-energy music, and mostly classical vocabulary it was unclear where this piece was really going.

The next piece was another premier, this time from third-time guest choreographer Christopher d’Amboise. Set to popular favorites from Beethoven, Chopin, and Prokofiev, ‘Volatizing the Esters’ is named for the act of swirling your wine glass to activate hidden aromas, bringing oxygen to the fruit. This piece brings a true contemporary feel and breathes life into old perceptions about Saint Louis Ballet. Each of the nine dancers brought a unique personality to movement that ranged from identifiable ballet steps, a grounded and fluid modern quality, and funny imaginative things that can only be described as movement. There were so many moments of sheer technical brilliance; six or seven pirouettes (I lost track) followed by an a la second turn from Michael McGonegal, an arabesque that defies all hip sockets from Audrey Honert, brilliantly articulated footwork from Eric Hoffman and Lauren Lane. This range of character and music in this piece allowed these masters of craft to really shine as artists; funny, whimsical, heart-stopping artists.

‘Volatizing the Esters’ turned the theatre into a different world. Every element of stage craft was put to extraordinary use with the atmospheric, sometimes intimate sometimes sunny lighting again by Guy, costumes from Norah Worthington that were neither gender neutral nor specific, pedestrian but not indicative of character, light but not without an earthy tone. The clever use of staging, the addition of the shadowed curtain, the white chairs, and the movable rug added a scenic element that made the imagined world feel that much more grounded in the reality that all of us have sat on a chair and also dreamlike in that not many of us have stood on a rotating fabric platform. Everything contributed to a relatively simple concept, exquisitely and intricately executed. Besides the fact that the music selections (think Moonlight Sonata) are just beautiful, they were that one familiar key element that made the piece not overwhelmingly different. These well-placed selections made it possible to feel like we the audience were simply re-experiencing a favorite but with our eyes newly opened and suddenly impossible to shut. Great art can make us see the world anew, and I don’t think I will see a glass of wine without remembering this piece. It was simply a masterpiece and my favorite thing I have ever seen this wonderful company bring to the stage, changing, informing, and living on in the catalogue of memory and experiences. Talk about reinventing the wheel.

Two more pieces followed after intermission- a short pas de deux ‘William Tell Duet’ choreographed by Dance St. Louis Artistic Director Michael Uthoff and ‘La Vie’ choreographed by Horiuchi. The duet, danced by Erin Swinney and Alberto Rodriguez, was an entertaining romp through ballet parody without too much technique. It did exactly what it was supposed to do, which was lighten the mood and provide a chuckle for the fans of slapstick. Who doesn’t love a highly trained artistic male shoved into a tutu?

‘La Vie’ hit a lot of the high-notes that Saint Louis Ballet does so well. There was a Balanchine-esque feel surely inspired by Horiuchi’s past as a New York City Ballet Principal, even a bit of a jazz tone. The costumes were lovely, it was entertaining and fun, and the dancing was quite wonderful. There were some fantastic moments with the group of men in entrechat six, individualized flashy jumps and tours, and very good fouettes done together by two girls (I will say that it took one girl longer to get quite on the beat, but she caught up by the end and then it was stunning).There were more than a few discrepancies in timing from the shorter group of girls but the three taller girls had not only similar leg height and line, but attack and musicality. They were quite enjoyable, especially in a tricky series with pirouettes in attitude devant. It might have been the bright red dress, but lead dancer Pamela Swaney is the one that you just can’t help but watch. She somehow manages to be composed, technical, and elegant while still having an enticing charm under the calm exterior, something akin to the Grace Kelly of ballerinas. New company member Takahito Kamimura is also a welcome addition to the company, bringing flashes of athletic brilliance to tricks amongst the technique.

With the new dancers, new works, and new styles infiltrating this already strong group, Saint Louis Ballet is going to new places and new heights. I just hope to keep up.

“All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, and worth living. Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused.” -Martha Graham

Did you hear?

Happy what-would-have-been 120th bday to Martha. Your legend, company, and words live on.

If you are in St. Louis, TONIGHT is the LAST CHANCE to get tickets for St. Louis Ballet’s Contemporary Series The show features four pieces; two world premeires- one from former New York City Ballet Principal and returning guest choreographer Christopher D’Amboise- yes that’s the son of Jaques D’amboise, Director of the National Dance Institute and guy who said this: “Each performance is your closing and it’s your opening night”

Very true for the dancers, Mr. Jaques but for the audiences- this is it! This is the closing. I don’t believe that st. Louis Ballet is performing an excerpt from Mr. D’amboise’s premiere at Spring to Dance so it may go into that company repertoire folder for who-knows-how-long before it sees the light of stage gels again. I am telling you St. Louisans, GO TO THIS SHOW!  Do not let it slip away unnoticed. It was the most stunning thing I have ever seen come out of this company; humorous, inventive, atmospheric, diverse, and performed with chilling and exhilarating execution. Here are previews of rehearsal from St. Louis Ballet’s website:

I will be writing a full review after we’ve all seen the sights.

If you are not in St. Louis and are perhaps in the New York area, it is your last night to catch Spark Movement Collective’s new work; Eavesdropped at 9:30 pm at Dixon Place.

I stole these incredibly beautiful photos of the Spark dancers from their fb page. Photo credit to the incredible Christopher Duggan

Here’s a little description and a video preview from the subway station:

Spark Movement Collective presents “Eavesdropped,” (get tickets here or at the door) an evening-length dance performance that dives head first into the quirky things that people say when they think no one is paying attention. Artistic Director Chelsea Koenig and Spark partner up with graphic designer Bennett Beckenstein, composer Bryan Teoh, and musical artist RobertCop for a multi-faceted show.

I am admittedly a big fan of SMC Artistic Director- Chelsea Koenig with whom I’ve had the supreme privilege of working with. Her choreography is reflective of many of the qualities that she possesses as a human; personable, quirky, funny, intelligent, and beautiful with the feeling of trying too hard. She has a truly keen eye for the structuring of group work and the ability to manipulate music and bodies into a delightful and surprising experience.

Here I am with Kara and Brittany in one of Chelsea’s choreographic creations

If you don’t take my word for it- take Martha’s; don’t let it slip away, unnoticed. To the dancers, may “the exhilaration go on constant, still in the morning the next day and may you be excited and yet never know if you can perform again Each performance is your closing and opening night” (the full JD’A quote) .xo-your fan, Jess

We had a most fabulous time and I really enjoyed questioning her about my most recent show. My Mom is an Emmy-award winning actress as well as experienced dancer so when I ask for her thoughts, she can really tell me. And tell me she does. I always enjoy hearing her thoughts on which performers she liked, who looked vacant, who stole the show, and of course, things I did well or could work on. I trust in her expertise and judgement and enjoy sharing those thoughts, especially over dinner. She is my favorite critic/ date.

Dance critics; for the most part, a unicorn of the press junket. (Don’t even get me started on knowledgable, articulate dance critics) I think these lepers of the writing colony stay on the endangered list because of these common sentiments:

They aren’t necessary- I can make my mind up for myself

They are just stuck-up grumps that can’t do anything themselves

Let me first say that I am often grumpy and usually stuck-up and can’t do much of anything from changing a tire to fixing my  own computer from spamware or nearly as many pirouettes as I’d like to do. However,  critique is surpringly where I am most open-minded, forgiving, and generous with praise towards individuals whose talent I am likely bitterly envious of. And I also think critics are necessary.

Critics are necessary because it makes performers better to know that someone is out there watching. It adds an extra excited nervousness. Critics are necessary because their presence in the theatre or venue demands a presence in print or in the blogosphere and therefore in the eye of the public. If someone is taking the time to write and think intelligently about what is presented on the stage, it can open up ideas, history and call forth opinion and imagery. It’s a jumping off point for conversation about the work; “did you read what so-and-so wrote about it? She’s such an idiot!’ (No pointing fingers)

Critics are necessary because the specific mention of a dancer can help validate their green card; I know because I wrote an article where a foreign dancer’s name was changed (thanks spellcheck) and this dancer actually contacted me begging me to try to fix it as the document would be useful in proving US work credibility.

Critics are necessary because they serve as the public word-of-mouth diving board; critics and press are often the first to hear of shows, products, even new restaurants. Think of your favorite local non-chain restaurant. (For me; Remy’s Kitchen and Wine Bar, or Modesto, or Tavern, or Uncle Bill’s Pancake House) How did you hear about it? Most likely from someone who heard about if from someone who read about it in a magazine or a newspaper review. (Or you performed a google search for ‘gluten-free) A critic’s opinion isn’t the be-all-end-of of course, but especially if it is favorable, it really helps get the ball of interest going. It’s hard when art critics are non-existent, ignored, or looked at as a joke to take their advice ‘go see this play’ to heart. Maybe I should work on becoming more persuasive, or knowledgable, or respected, or snobbish….no, I’m definitely good on that last one.

I was just reading this book review from the Wall Street Journal by Carl Rollyson- the book in question is ‘Melville Biography: An Inside Narrative’ by Hershel Parker.

I stole this paper and received these flowers from someone in the following picture

I’ll give you a hint; look for the shoeless lazy person sitting down (The Incurables at Vintage Vinyl’s Record Store Day)

Another Melville biography? Not that I’ve read any of the old ones, no thank you. I dragged myself along the literary chain-gang that is ‘Moby Dick’ to satisfy my ‘serious student of literature’ lust a long time ago, realized that I care not for pages upon pages of whaling information, picked up ‘The Hunger Games’ and haven’t looked back. but I will admit, Rollyson’s review maybe have gotten a dribble of interest in ol’ captain Melville out of this dried up blowspout.

I care ever-so-slightly because the new biography is apparently, filled with jabs from Parker at his own critics. There is apparent back-and-forth jabbing that has existed between the scholarly Mr. Parker and academic and critical enemies since 1968, so he’s had plenty of time to gather his choices grudges and hurl insults amongst deeply, obsessively researched details on what kind of jam Melville spread on his toast whilst imagining up his sodden adventure tales. It seems that the moment someone is proclaimed a grumpy snobbish know-it-all, I am interested in what they have to say.

In this new work, he is criticized mainly for surely embellishing facts that he cannot in all likelihood know, such as motivation and intention behind choices of both lifestyle and within the work. It’s not like he was a personal friend of Melville’s anyway and can speak from personal knowledge. He did however, conduct pretty thorough research and I suppose is the best choice as expert into the Freudian web of ties between life and work for his biographical subject.

It’s just this whole issue of research, because you know, too much knowledge can actually be a hinderance; just ask Adam and Eve. There’s a philosophy of literary interpretation deemed, ‘New Criticism’ that dismisses the artistic process, design, or intention with the final product being all that matters. I guess we’re supposed to take things simply as they are. I would still say that a critic needs to speak the language to critique the writing, and that dance critics should at least know a little about dance to be able to write about it with any degree of clarity, especially if passports, funding, attention, a chance of survival in the arts industry, and egos are on the line.

I would follow Captain Cupcake in his search for Moby Dessert

I have some gluten-free blondies about to come out of the oven. According to the reviews, they are scrumptious. I will take no one’s word for it, and taste them for myself. It’s a tough job but some gluten-free ballerina has to do it. x0-jess

I do understand his desire to capture music. For me personally, I love a good piece of conceptual choreography or a character to bring to life but nothing makes me want to move like music. I admittedly find it a huge struggle to execute choreography set in silence. I feel like it’s harder to lose myself in the dancing and not become fixated on the physical without the emotional wash of notes and rhythm.

Tuesday was my final Beginner Modern 1 and 2 class and I asked them as I took attendance, ‘what was your favorite thing about class this semester?‘ Answers ranged from ‘Step draws’ ‘prances’ and ‘sparkles’ (I swear this is a real technical name in the Horton vocabulary) but quite a few said the music. Now I feel sort of bad for making them do leg swings to the sound of my counting/clapping but I wanted to actually hear their feet brushing the floor through that first position (otherwise they tended to hover their dangling limbs like a rusty pendulum on a grandfather clock) 

The presence of music does not mean that I as a dancer, stop thinking. It does however, make it immensely more enjoyable to me. There is of course, a kind of music in silence as bodies breath and move together. I love the dynamic section without music from this video from Saks Fashion’s Night Out with the Blue Man Group in New York. My old friend from Interlochen Arts Academy, the beautiful Fana Minea Tesfagiorgis, is featured here.

At home with Common Thread Contemporary Dance Company, we have a committment to using our bodies, art, voices to speak in favor of compassion and against violence. One example of this daily meditation is through the ‘Plies for Peace’ Initiative- in which we collectively focus a positive energy toward individuals, towns, people from the news, etc. during the first exercise of class. This is done in silence. I think it allows me to really feel my body, as I begin to activate and stretch the muscles, circulate my blood, and find balance- and to focus on using that body and my gifts to the best of my abilities. It reminds me of what a blessing it is to be able to dance, to have legs or freedom or a car that drives me to the studio where I am priviledged to work on something that I feel passionate and humbled and excited to do, and how there are far more important, worrisome, heart-breaking circumstances than the likely small trials I may be suffering. I don’t find this depressing at all- it is a reminder to be joyful for all that I have, everything that brings ‘music’ to my life.

“What is most important in art is what the viewer lives or feels while under the effect of the form and the color combinations of the painting”- Kandinsky

I would add that an important aspect is the residual effect, the hopeful creation of music even in times of silence. xo- Jess